


Appreciation

by Chocolate3940



Category: The Judge (2014)
Genre: F/M, Men Crying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 08:49:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19989373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chocolate3940/pseuds/Chocolate3940
Summary: Hank Palmer struggles with his emotions after the verdict





	Appreciation

**Author's Note:**

> My first fanfiction

It was night the night after the verdict. 

Hank was so angry that his father had the courage to compare him to a murderer. He had almost cried in court and he didn't think he could ever forgive his father for not listening to him. He had managed to stay stoik in court but now he was alone he couldn't hold himself together. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After The Judge had gone to prison Hank had gone back to the house with his brothers. Dale had been crying in the back and he had to drive because Glen wanted to comfort him. 

It was a heavy atmosphere in the car and there was no noise except Dale's crying. Hank just wanted to punch something. 

"Why would he do that" Dale sobed. "He knows we care about him" 

"He probably thought he couldn't lie to the court if he thought he hit him." Glen said "We know he couldn't remember any of it. " 

Hank sighed and shook his head. He couldn't think about court right now. He needed a break. 

"Can we go and see mum?" Dale asked his voice breaking. 

"Do you want to?" He asked

"Yes" 

"What about you Glen?" 

"Whatever Dale wants to do."

So he took the turning to the graveyard and they spent a few minutes at Mary's grave. Dale had cleared up his tears and had his camera out and was filming the occasion despite what Dad had said about not needing it. They shared a few memories of Mum and went back to the car. 

They drove home, went to bed and   
he lay deep in thought. 

"I can't live with this anymore." Hank thought and he really couldn't. He had already been betrayed earlier in the year when he came home one night to see Lisa having sex on the couch with a random man. He thought he couldn't be betrayed more than that. 

"I'm sorry Dad" he whispered his voice becoming choked with tears. "I'm sorry I wasn't good enough for you". 

He couldn't hold his tears in any longer. He was sobbing, mouth filling with tears. He coughed. He put his face on the pillow do dampen the sound. He didn't want the others to hear him crying. Tears ran down his cheeks and wetted the pillow. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Glen woke up to the sound of crying.   
"Dale" he thought. He threw the covers off and walked quietly to Dale's room. He knocked lightly on the door and before he heard an answer he went in. 

"Dale?" He whispered. 

He came to the bed and saw Dale fast asleep. "Dale?" He whispered again. He shook his shoulder to wake him up. "You alright?" 

Dale blinked "Yeah, what's up? Why did you wake me?" 

"I heard crying. You want to talk about it?" 

Dale looked at him with a frown. "I haven't cried since the car journey." 

"Hank" They said at the same time. 

They both shot up and left the room. They quietly went down the stairs to Hank's room. 

The crying hadn't stopped, if anything it had gotten worse. They both put their ears to the door and listened. 

"I can't" Hank sobbed. "I can't Dad, I'm sorry."

They looked at each other with wide eyes. They hadn't heard Hank crying for a long time. 

"I can't deal with him!" Glen shout-whispered. 

"Just help him like you helped me" Dale whispered back. 

"I can't. I don't know him anymore. " 

"Well get someone who does." Dale whispered. 

"I'll call Sam. She'll know what to do with him. I've seen them interacting." 

Glen stepped away from the door and went into the lounge and called Sam. 

"What's up" came a tired voice from the other end. 

"Uh… I need help." Glen said quietly. 

"You alright?" Sam asked. 

"I am. Hank's not."

"Why what's the matter with him?" 

"He's crying. I don't know what to do. I can't comfort him like I can Dale. I haven't seen him for 20 years, he's changed so much." 

"No he hasn't. Still the same old Hank. Where are you? I can come round and talk to him if you want."

"That'd be great, thanks. We are at Dad's house. Hank's in his bedroom we're outside it."

About ten minutes later they heard a car pull up and they went to the front door. 

Hank hadn't stopped crying. "where is he?" she said. They pointed to the door. 

She slipped in and shut the door. 

"Hank?" 

She had no response. Just quiet sobbing. Muffled by the pillow. 

She got closer to him and she knelt down next to the bed and looked at him. His eyes were red and swollen and tears were dripping off the end of his nose. She put a hand to his neck and stroked his cheek. "Hank" she whispered again. He looked at her. 

"Sam" he croaked. "I'm sorry Sam" 

"For what" 

"For leaving" 

"Shhhh." She rubbed his shoulders that were knotted together with tension. "It's alright." 

"No it's not" he cried. 

She pried him away from the pillow into a sitting position and she sat on the bed next to him, her arm around his shoulders. And pulled him closer to her and his head rested in the crook of her neck. His tears started to wet her shirt. 

"I missed you, you know." Sam said. "I missed you so much." She continued to rub his shoulders. 

"Let me in Hank. Don't shut yourself away." 

There was a minute of silence. Just crying. Then-

"She cheated on me Sam." he spoke through his tears. "I came home from work one day; it was late and she was having sex with someone else on the couch. I was so angry so I punched him in the face. And that was the end of our marriage. I filed for divorce but its taking a while. I never thought someone else would betray me like she did."

Sam stayed quiet. Now he was on a role she didn't want to interrupt him. 

"That was until today. Dad compared me to a murderer. He said he looked into the eyes of Mark Blackwell and saw me. That's why he went easy on him the first time. I'm not a murderer. What did I do Sam? He's hated me ever since the car crash, ever since I destroyed Glen's future. He sent me to juvenile detention when we both knew there were other options than sending me away. After I fulfilled my time there I never wanted to come here again. Not if I had to deal with him. He sent me away. Was I never good enough?   
I just want appreciation. Someone to appreciate me for who I am. "

"I do. You were good enough for me then. You're good enough for me now. I love you Hank. I always have. Why do you think I never married? Because I love you."

Hank swallowed the rest of his tears and looked into her beautiful eyes. He had forgotten how beautiful she was, how much he loved her. 

"You need to start appreciating yourself first, Hank." 

They stared at each other. Hank reached out and pushed a stray bit of hair back behind her ear gently. They didn't realise how close and intimate they were until they kissed. Their lips met and Hank pushed her closer to him. She was straddling him and his back resting against the wall. His tears had cleared and they were once again fighting for dominance. His lips were needy and betrayed. Desperately needing to be loved. Hank had no idea how much time had passed but it could have been years. Eventually they needed to pull away for air. They rested their foreheads together and stayed like that for ages. They made love that night and it was the most comforting experience.

After, they laid down and Sam rested her head on Hank's chest. Their naked bodies entwined. They fell asleep shortly after that. 

When Hank woke up to his alarm he found that Sam was no longer with him. He felt disappointed that she hadn't stayed. He turned his phone alarm off and saw a note from Sam that read. "Don't be late for breakfast." and under that, "8:30".   
He looked at his watch and it was 8:20. "Ten minutes to get ready" Hank thought. He came down the stairs just as the smell of pancakes reached his nose making his stomach rumble.

He heard chatter in the kitchen as he came down and he opened the door slowly. 

The heads turned to him but Hank only had eyes for Sam. He saw her at the stove frying. 

As he walked over he passed Glen. He bent low and whispered in his ear  
"Thanks for calling her last night." 

He walked over to Sam, gave her a quick peck on the lips and went to take his seat at the table. 

Glen and Dale were both staring at him as though he had grown another head. His phone bussed in his pocket and he got it out to check. 

"Lauren is coming for the weekend. She wants to meet you." 

"I'd love to meet" 

He got back up and put his arm around her waist and kissed her temple. 

"I love you too."

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed my story


End file.
